Essential Phone U.S. Launch 'Imminent': New Smartphone By Android Founder Also Coming To UK, Europe, And Japan

The U.S. launch of the Essential Phone, the new smartphone created by Android founder Andy Rubin, is now imminent, after the device missed its June deadline.

The Essential Phone, which according to Essential COO Niccolo de Masi, was designed for "trend setters and technology seekers," will also be finding its way into the UK, Western Europe, and Japan.

Essential Phone Coming Soon

According to a report by the Financial Times, the Essential Phone is coming very soon to the United States as executives have made moves to roll out the smartphone to UK, Western Europe, and Japan.

Essential executives have held talks with operators in the UK including EE, to finalize a launch date for the Essential Phone in the country. The company is likely looking to strike the same deal that made the device a Sprint exclusive in the United States.

While de Masi claims that the device's launch in the United States is "imminent," he fails to provide a specific Essential Phone release date. Android fans looking forward to what the smartphone can offer can do nothing but wait until it arrives at Sprint, as there has been no explanation on what has caused the Essential Phone delay.

Going past the June deadline for the Essential Phone is not the only problem that the company has experienced though, as two Essential executives have recently left. Essential VP of marketing Brian Wallace was appointed as Chief Marketing Officer of will.i.am's technology venture, while head of communication Andy Fouche resigned earlier in July.

What Is The Essential Phone All About?

The Essential Phone made headlines when it was announced in May due to its attachment with Rubin, who co-created Google's popular Android mobile operating system. CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood even went as far as saying that there would be little or no interest in the smartphone if not for its connection with Rubin.

The $699 Essential Phone features minimal bezels, and is made of titanium and ceramic material for extreme durability. It will have a 5.7-inch 2,560 x 1,312 display, and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. The smartphone will also have dual 13 MP rear cameras, an 8 MP front camera, a 3,040 mAh battery, a USB Type-C port, and Android 7.1.1 Nougat with no preloaded apps.

The smartphone will also be the latest device to try supporting modular accessories, which may be attached to the device through magnetic pins at its back. There are currently two modular accessories, one of which is a charging dock while the other is a $50 360-degree camera attachment.